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Cocoa Bean Mulch Can Poison Dogs

The Bottom Line

Cocoa bean mulch contains theobromine and caffeine, just like chocolate. These chemicals are poisonous to dogs. Dogs who swallow cocoa bean mulch could have vomiting, diarrhea, a very fast heart rate, tremors and seizures. Death is uncommon but has happened. It's impossible to tell how much cocoa bean mulch might be poisonous.

The Full Story

Cocoa bean mulch smells like chocolate - to humans and to dogs. The mulch does indeed come from cocoa beans, from which we get chocolate. (The mulch is made from the shells.) Most dog owners know that chocolate is poisonous to dogs. Unfortunately, cocoa bean mulch can be poisonous, too.

Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine. The same substances are found in cocoa bean mulch. Dogs that swallow too much can have vomiting, diarrhea, a very fast heart rate, tremors, and seizures. Death is uncommon but has happened.

How much cocoa bean mulch is too much? It's hard to know. It depends on how much theobromine is in the mulch, and there's no way for a pet owner or gardener to tell. The dog's weight matters, too; the smaller the dog, the greater the danger. Also, the more mulch a dog eats, the greater the risk.

It's best if dogs are kept away from ALL sources of chocolate, including mulch made from the discarded cocoa bean shells. Consult your veterinarian: if a dog does eat cocoa bean mulch, giving hydrogen peroxide to cause vomiting might be the first treatment. If a lot of mulch was eaten, or if the dog is very small, the vet might want to give activated charcoal. Of course, any dog with symptoms needs to go to the vet right away.

There are a lot of mulch choices. If you have pets, you may want to leave the cocoa mulch behind in the garden center and choose an alternate. If you have questions about cocoa bean mulch, theobromine, caffeine, or chocolate you can call the poison specialists any time. The 24-hour number is 1-800-222-1222.

Poisoned?

CALL
1-800-222-1222

Prevention Tips

Train your dog to avoid mulched areas.

Avoid using cocoa bean mulch around your home.

This Really Happened

The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center studied 16 cases of cocoa bean mulch ingestion by dogs managed between January 2002 and April 2003. Of these, 6 cases were analyzed since the final outcome was known, the ingestion had been observed and the managing veterinarian strongly linked the dog's symptoms to cocoa bean mulch ingestion. In 50% of the dogs vomiting was reported, 33% of the dogs developed tremors, and in 17% fast heart rate, hyperactivity or diarrhea was reported. In 33% of the cases, no clinical signs developed. In dogs in which tremors were observed, the amount of cocoa bean mulch ingested was described as large or significant.